UC Irvine Giving Day

Your Giving Day support of UC Irvine Baseball makes a direct and meaningful impact on our student-athletes, and we are truly thankful for your continued belief in our program. This season, our team is once again prepared to compete on the national stage as we pursue excellence in the Big West and chase our ultimate goal of a National Championship in Omaha. 

We appreciate your generosity and hope to welcome you to the ballpark this spring—your support plays a vital role in everything we do.

Together We Zot - Baseball

As a result of the landmark settlement in the NCAA vs. House case, NCAA D1 institutions are entering a new era and now provide financial assistance to student-athletes as part of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) activities.

That's where Together We Zot comes in. The Together We Zot Fund is managed through the UC Irvine Foundation and is a 501(c)(3) organization. 

This initiative is a bold step forward. It's not just a donation — it's a targeted investment in the success of our student-athletes and the long-term strength of UC Irvine Athletics.

The Together We Zot - Baseball fund is exclusively dedicated to providing scholarships, room and board stipends, summer school, institutional licensing (NIL) directly to student-athletes, and Alston awards, ensuring UC Irvine stays at the forefront of innovation and impact in college sports.

Together We Zot is about more than just funding. It's a commitment to:

• Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent
• Maximizing each student-athlete's potential
• Keeping UC Irvine Athletics nationally competitive
• Providing transformational support as rules evolve

Baseball History of Success

UC Irvine Baseball put together a historic 2025 campaign, capturing the program’s third Big West regular-season championship under head coach Ben Orloff and earning its 11th NCAA Regional berth. The Anteaters spent the entire season ranked in the Top 25, climbing as high as No. 8 nationally, and finished with a 6–3 record against ranked opponents. Their consistent success on the national stage reaffirmed UCI’s place among the country’s elite programs.

The Anteaters were dominant both at home and on the road, posting a 16–7 record at Anteater Ballpark while going an impressive 20–6 away from home—ranking among the NCAA’s top road teams for the third consecutive season. Offensively, UCI hit .299 as a team and shattered the program home run record with 71 long balls. Chase Call led the power surge, setting a new Anteater all-time mark with 30 career home runs.

On the mound, the pitching staff delivered another strong year, recording a 4.91 team ERA and piling up 544 strikeouts. Ricky Ojeda anchored the staff and capped a standout season by earning Big West Pitcher of the Year honors while also being named a First Team All-American by both NCBWA and Perfect Game. His leadership was instrumental in UCI’s postseason push and sustained national ranking.

Individual accolades poured in across the roster, with 12 Anteaters earning All-Big West recognition, including unanimous selections for Coach, Field Player, and Pitcher of the Year for the first time since 2009. Ben Orloff was named Big West Coach of the Year, Colin Yeaman earned Field Player of the Year honors, and multiple Anteaters were recognized on All-West Region teams. Together, these achievements reflect a complete and memorable season for UC Irvine Baseball—one built on excellence, depth, and a championship standard.

UC Irvine Baseball saw seven Anteaters selected in the 2025 MLB Draft, highlighted by a pair of fourth-round picks. Right-hander Riley Kelly was chosen by the Colorado Rockies with the 107th overall pick, while shortstop Colin Yeaman followed shortly after as the 124th overall selection by the Baltimore Orioles.

Outfielder Jacob McCombs went to the Minnesota Twins in the seventh round (209th overall), with first baseman Anthony Martinez selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the eighth round at No. 252. The Kansas City Royals picked up right-hander Max Martin in the 10th round (308th), Anteater-signee catcher Junior Barajas was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 11th round (326th), and outfielder Chase Call was taken by the Houston Astros in the 16th round with the 486th overall pick.

UC Irvine Baseball enjoyed a historic year at the professional level in 2025, with 24 Anteaters playing professional baseball across affiliated and independent leagues. Eight former Anteaters appeared in Major League Baseball during the season, marking one of the strongest big-league showings in program history. At one point, five Anteaters were on MLB rosters simultaneously, setting a new high-water mark for UC Irvine Baseball.

In 2026 Keston Hiura was inducted into the UC Irvine Athletics Hall of Fame becoming the 12th member of the baseball program to receive the honor. A three-year standout, Hiura finished with a .375 career average and an NCAA-leading .442 junior season, was a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, the No. 9 overall pick in the MLB Draft, and has gone on to enjoy a lengthy professional career that includes six seasons at the Major League level.